GZ recommendations

Here are some general recommendations that our customers, employees and vinyl collectors recommend when ordering your vinyl records.

PACKAGING

On the market, there is a large number of various types of standard inner sleeves available, ranging from paper to plastic. The most record-friendly types of sleeves are those which are either poly-lined or laminated on the inside, these prevent the dust from getting into the sleeve and hence keep the record protected.

We recommend always ordering at least 300gsm outer sleeves with or without a 3mm spine

If you plan to insert 2 standard 140g records into a single sleeve, a 3mm spine is sufficient. We recommend upgrading to a 5mm spine for 180g records.

We recommend at least a 3mm spine when ordering an outer sleeve for a heavyweight vinyl

We recommend ordering at least a 3mm spine when other components (such as posters, booklets, inserts, etc) are to be inserted into the sleeve

We recommend at least 300gsm material when shrinkwrap is going to be ordered. The heavier the outer material is, the less risk there is of the cover getting damaged or bent after being shrinkwrapped

When ordering matt lamination, we recommend “anti-scratch” matt lamination when the artwork for your outer sleeve has a lot of dark areas

We recommend either machine or hand numbering for unique limited edition releases

Please remember than a lot of special packaging which include die-cuts, etc may require a cutting tool to be produced for them – this cutting tool is a charged service and will add to the cost of your production

Do not select any special print finish such as lamination or glossy finish when choosing the reverse side printing option

Please note that the colours on reverse side print jobs will not be as intense as they normally would when printing on the coated side of the carton

COLOURED VINYL

Splatters are possible on black vinyl, but we ONLY recommend using solid splatter colours – please also note that most of the splatter will be absorbed in the black colour, meaning that the intensity and distribution of the splatter will not be so high.

We suggest using high contrasting colours when selecting the A SIDE/B SIDE and COLOUR IN COLOUR pressing methods. Low contrasting colours will mix together too much and result in more of a “muddy” outcome

Generally, we do not recommend transparent colours for A SIDE/B SIDE and COLOUR IN COLOUR pressing methods

Please be aware of the possibility of moiré effect when pressing PICTURE DISCS

Always consult with a GZ representative if you are unsure about what colours to choose when selecting special coloured records

VINYL CARE

Here is just a short list of tips that we recommend following when caring and storing for your vinyl records. There is also a lot more detailed information which can be found on the internet, but if you follow these simple tips – your records should last a lifetime!

Handling

Never touch the recording surface or sensitive parts (grooves) of the vinyl – always handle it by the edges only. Make sure you have clean hands!

Always store your vinyl in its sleeve when you are not listening to it.

Most of all, keep your records away from dust!

Make sure that you have a quality turntable and a decent cartridge + stylus – playing records on cheap or damaged equipment can also damage your records.

Storage

Keep your vinyl records in a cool dry place

Keep your records stacked vertically - never lay the vinyl records flat and do not stack your vinyl records one on top of the other. This can cause the vinyl record to warp over time.

Do not pack the records too tight on the shelve – make sure that there is a bit of room in-between each record

Cleaning

When playing your records on a turntable, it is recommended to keep the lid of the turntable closed to minimize the risk of dust collecting on the vinyl surface. Some people believe that this influences the sound quality, so its up to you to experiment what sounds better to you.

Your t-shirt is not a suitable cleaning cloth!

Keep your turntable mat clean

Keep your stylus clean

Try not to get the central labels wet when using a liquid record cleaner – this can cause the labels to tear over time

You can find here the catalogue of our products and components which are available to all our customers.